09 September 2008

Another Advert Promoting Cycling

And what does the esteemed panel think of this one?Is is a corporation trying to win brownie points by getting on the bicycle trend or is it a good, pure message? I like the fact that it's normal people on normal bikes in normal clothes. People looking happy as they ride and transporting stuff around, including pets.

And that shot of people running in the street without helmets seems a little irresponsible. They're in the street for god's sake. They're running faster than the bike. :-)

Okay, I'll shut up now. Although since this video has a feeling of bike share to it, at the beginning anyway, I'll mention the hurdle faced by cities - especially those with helmet laws - who wish to implement bike share programmes like the one in Copenhagen, Paris or 60 other European cities. They don't know what to do about helmets. You can't share helmets for obvious hygiene reasons. The whole idea about bike share programmes is the 'ease of use' and the spontaneity factor. Here's an article about it at The Bicycle Helmet Research Foundation. It's an interesting point.

Dr Rissel says transport authorities should highlight the fun, convenience and health and environmental benefits of cycling, rather than what he views as an undue emphasis on danger and safety messages, which can deter cyclists: "We should create a cycling friendly environment and accentuate cycling's positives rather than stress negatives with 'safety campaigns' that focus on cyclists without addressing drivers and road conditions. Reminding people of injury rates and risks, to wear helmets and reflective visible clothes has the unintended effect of reinforcing fears of cycling which discourages people from cycling."

To be fair to helmets.org, if you look at their recommendations for skiing, they say that ski helmets are only worth considering if you don't ski in the trees, because the collisions that kill skiers arent things ski helmets fix. So they've noticed that there are some places where helmets don't bring much to the table. Personally, I plan to start campaigning to make cycling with gloves mandatory. Whenever you fall of, its your hands that take the damage.

Zakkalicious, you're apparently aware that the helmet issue has delayed bike share efforts in multiple cities in the USA. When I rented a bike to get around in Washington DC, I was required to put a helmet on (one of their loaners -- ewww!) before they let me have the bike.

fritz... who are 'they' when you try to get a bike in D.C.? is there a helmet law in that city? and the whole point of bike share programmes is that there is no 'they', there is just you, a touch screen and a bike.

I really like this advertisement and think everyone wins here. Cycling is shown as useful and fun. You can get somewhere, transport your stuff, and be connected with your fellow citizen.

Note the diversity of characters and tasks that the creative director cleverly weaves in. The cyclists are different ages, races, and occupations. (There’s an easily identifiable doctor/nurse, businessman, student.) For tasks, there’s buying a plant, carrying recyclables, green market shopping, all of which show you can do a lot on a bike and they create a sub-conscious association between cycling and other rewarding activities.

In the end, the public that views this message and feels encouraged enough to get on a bike benefits from increased health and reduced transportation costs. Others benefit from less crowded roads and cleaner air. Kaiser Permanente benefits too as insurance companies are more profitable when their customers are healthy. I think we all win here.

Stevo9r, While I wasn't able to find any cycling info on KP.org, some large healthcare providers such as Cleveland Clinic are beginning to make significant efforts to promote cycling to their employees and the community: Cleveland Clinic Bikes

Zak - thanks for posting both the KP commercial and the ScienceDaily article! One of our local bike shops has a bicycle rental program for the canal towpath in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. I've only had the occasion to rent one of their bikes once a few years ago. While the rental 'includes' a helmet, I don't recall people having to wear it. Ironically, the towpath is one of the few spots that I might not wear a helmet when riding.

The message about cycling being fun and healthy was excellent HOWEVER they showed people riding in a way that I would frankly describe as dangerous almost to the point of recklessness.

For the entire first half of the video they show the cyclists riding on the sidewalk or in the wrong direction of traffic (oddly enough in the entire second half the riding is legal and with no sidewalk riding). Now I'm not one of those "Vehicular Cycling" fanatics but there is quite a bit of evidence that riding on the sidewalk is MUCH more dangerous than on the street. Crashes at intersections and driveways are the most common car-bike crashes and these are MUCH, MUCH more likely to happen when one rides on the sidewalk. These intersection types of crashes are much more common than being hit from behind as one rides on the road. I don't think I need to talk about the hazards from riding on the wrong side of the road.

The intent was admirable but I feel the display of reckless bicycle riding in the beginning is so bad that it should be pulled. If this glaring oversight was corrected I would totally love it!

PS - I know they did it this way for the lighting and to make it easier to film, however...

I went on a group bike ride with the DC Ministry of Bicycling here in Washington DC this weekend. (I think you'd like their stated goal of "making biking awesomer".)

Even in that setting, though, while we waited at a light in a bike lane downtown, some jackass rider (to be clear, not one of the organizers) had to interrupt my afternoon of awesome to say, "Excuse me, but I think you ought to know you should be wearing a helmet because it's safer." Do I go up to you when you're buying condoms and say, "Excuse me, but I think you ought to know that you would be a lot safer just not having sex"? No, I don't, because you're a capable adult, and it's none of my damned business.

Ugh. I take comfort that I don't think he harassed anyone else who was helmet-free after I politely told him off and threw some statistics his way. I don't think he was expecting that.

Kilometres cycled by Copenhageners so far today

Copenhagenize.com is the blog of Copenhagenize Design Company. Online since 2007 and highlighting the cycling life in Copenhagen and around the world.

40 years ago Copenhagen was just as car-clogged as anywhere else but now 41% of the population arriving at work or education do so on bicycles, from all over the Metro area. 55% of Copenhageners themselves use bicycles each day. They all use over 1000 km of bicycle lanes in Greater Copenhagen for their journeys. Copenhagenizing is possible anywhere.